I-94 crash near Great America sends 16 to hospitals, lanes reopened

Gurnee area crash sends 14 to hospitals

Joe Shuman / For the Chicago Tribune

Fourteen people were taken to area hospitals after a six-vehicle crash including a semi-truck happened on I-94 outside of Gurnee, police said. Two lanes remained closed on Interstate 94 near Grand Avenue.

Fourteen people were taken to area hospitals after a six-vehicle crash including a semi-truck happened on I-94 outside of Gurnee, police said. Two lanes remained closed on Interstate 94 near Grand Avenue. (Joe Shuman / For the Chicago Tribune)

According to Gurnee Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Pellitteri, paramedics responding to the multiple vehicle crash on I-94 this morning reported that five of the 16 injured in the crash were in critical condition on the scene, and all were transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

A spokesman for Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville said two of the three patients who arrived at the hospital in critical condition were transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Of the remaining 13 patients, which include both adults and children, two remain in serious condition and 11 are in good condition.

The vehicles included a Jeep Cherokee, Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer SUVs, a Honda Civic and Toyota Prius and a Western Star Semi-truck hauling a trailer, police said. The crash happened shortly before 11 a.m. at milemarker 9.5 near Grand Avenue, police said.

According to police the five vehicles were stopped in traffic in the far two right lanes. The Western Star semi-truck was unable to reduce speed and struck the rear of the Jeep Cherokee and the Honda Civic causing a chain reaction, police said. The cause is still under investigation, no charges have been filed.

Traffic had been snarled in the area, which is the exit for Six Flags Great America.

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